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Our History

Nungalinya is named after ‘Old Man Rock’ which is a reef off Casuarina Beach sacred to the Larrakia people. They gave the College this special name and a home in their land.  We honour their gift with the rock-shaped omega symbol represented in our Nungalinya logo.  It reminds us we rest on Jesus, Alpha and Omega, the Rock of our

              faith from beginning to end.

It is a very sacred place for the Larrakeyah people, and they have different totem songs connected with the place. They say that Nungalinya or Old Man Rock is responsible for storms, winds and tides.

When the College Trustees wanted a name for the College, Canon Barry Butler talked with the Larrakeyah people who themselves suggested Nungalinya. They said that the place where the College was situated was often referred to by that name. They were very pleased when the Trustees agreed at a meeting in 1973 to use that name.

Nungalinya or Old Man Rock is an excellent name for this Combined Churches Training College. We read many times in the Old Testament that the Lord God is a rock. The same word is used in the New Testament. Our Lord Jesus said to Peter, 'You are Peter (Petros -   a stone) and on this rock (Petra - a rock) I will build my church'. For well over 30 years, the continuing prayer of trustees, faculty and students has been that Nungalinya may be the place where the Church our Lord will be built on the Rock foundation, especially among the indigenous people of Australia.

On 4 August, 1974, Archbishop, Sir Frank Woods, the Anglican Primate of Australia laid the 'foundation stone' for the College, in the form of a big, round granite stone from the Mount Bundy mines.

The College logo is Omega, the last letter of the Greek alphabet, which looks like a big rock. Jesus said in Revelation 22.13 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End'. Omega was also an early Christian symbol of the resurrection, because the letter looked like and reminded them of the stone which was rolled away from the tomb when Jesus rose from the dead.